Means for cleaning and cooling gun-barrels by fluid under pressure.



No. 354,323. PATENTED MAY 21,1907.

y A. G. WINTER. MEANS FOR CLEANING AND COOLING GUN BARRELS BY FLUID UNDER PRESSURE. AFPLIOATION FILED MAY 9, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS GROVER WINTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO EDMUND G. BUCKNER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR CLEANING AND COOLING GUN-BARRELS BY FLUID UNDER PRESSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1907.

Application filed May 9,1904. Serial No. 207,121.

To all lull/07w it puny concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS GROVER WINTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of (lookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Cleaning and Cooling Gun-Barrels by Fluid Under Pressure, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for cleaning and cooling gun barrels by means of fluid under pressure, preferably air, introduced at the breech of the gun after firing, and has for its object the cleaning of the gun barrel of products of combustion and the remains of powder sacks or other foreign matter which may be left in the barrel after a discharge, thereby avoiding premature explosion of a succeeding charge. The fluid also operates to cool the barrel when it becomes hot from active service.

The apparatus hereinafter described to illustrate the invention comprises a removable hood which is placed against the breech of the gun when it is desired to clean it and is removed therefrom to permit the closing of the breech block after the cleaning operation has been completed, and means for introducing a fluid under pressure into the interior of the gun barrel. As shown, the cleaning device is hinged to the gun barrel so that it may be thrown accurately into operative position quickly and with a minimum amount of care on the part of the operator. It may, however, have no perma nent connection to the gun but be adapted to be applied thereto whenever required.

In the accompanying draWings,Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a gun barrel, showing the breech of the gun open, the breech block and cleaning device being swung off upon opposite sides of the barrel; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the gun barrel, showing the cleaning device in operative position. The breech block is however, omitted from this figure; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the cleaning device showing the interior thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the gun barrel A is fitted with the usual breech mechanism, comprising a breech block B hinged upon one side of the barrel at C in any usual or suitable manner, while upon the opposite side of the barrel from the breech block is hinged the vertically swinging cleaning device D, the cleaning device and breech block being so arranged that when one is swung out of the breech, the other may be swung into it. W

The cleaning device comprises a hoodi 1 which may be of any suitable shape totinclose the breech of the gun. I11 order gthat the face 2 of the breech of the gun may make a tight joint with the hood, a gasket of rubber or other suitable material as 3 may be provided. The hood 1 is hinged at 4 to the gun barrel so that it may swing vertically.

Fixed to the hood is a conduit 5 which communicates with a source of fluid pressure (not shown) as an air pump. Upon the interior of the hood are mounted a plurality of nozzles 6 which are in communication with the conduit 5. These nozzles are rotatably mounted by means of a swivel joint 7 and are so shaped that the fluid received from the conduit and discharged by each of them is given a spiral motion as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. Furthermore the reaction of the escaping air from the nozzles causes them to revolve and thereby produce a swirling motion of the air through the gun barrel. This motion of the air is peculiarly effective in accomplishing the result sought.

The operation may be brielly described as follows: After a discharge of the gun, the breech block is Withdrawn (as shown in Fig. 1). The hood and nozzles may then be moved into operative position (as shown in Fig. 2). If new the valve controlling the fluid is turned on, the fluid will traverse the gun barrel as before described. The cleaning operation having been completed, the hood may be swung into the position shown in Fig. l and the breech block replaced in the breech.

Without limiting myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement shown, I claim 1. In a device for preventing flare-backs in the use of ordnance, the combination with a piece of breech-loading ordnance having a removable breech block, of means for introducing fluid under pressure into the breech to expel the inflammable gases or material, said means consisting of a plate or cover for the end of the gun arranged to close the o pening made by the removal of the breech block, and a supply pipe or hose, one end of which is connected to said plate or cover while the other is connected to means for supplying fluid or liquid under pressure. 2. The combination with a piece of ordnance having a removable breech block, of means for introducing thereinto after firing fluid under pressure to prevent a flare-back, consisting of a plate or cover arranged to close the opening made by the removal of the breech block, means for holding the cover in place at the breech of the gun, and a supply pipe through which the fluid is delivered connected with the said cover, substantially as set forth.

or 3.7 In a device for preventing flare-backs in rapid firing or breech loading ordnance, the

combination with a gun having a removable breech block, of a plate or cover for closing the breech after the breech block has been removed, said plate or cover having a central opening, means for locking the plate or cover in the breech, and piping means for conveying fluid under pressure to the said opening in the cover.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUSTUS GROVER WINTER.

Witnesses:

S. L. FRASER, OSCAR YOUNG. 

